macroworks - Wind Energy - Visual Impact Services

When the potential visibility (visual impact) of turbines becomes a critical issue in the planning/consenting process for a new wind project, you need to know that your team has the experience to dig deep and deliver viable alternatives that keep sight of the project's crucial economic objectives.

Macro Works has used its experience from over 12 years of visual consultancy on 80+ wind energy projects to develop unique tools and processes that help to visually optimise and enhance turbine layouts. Employing these at the project outset minimises the potential for more costly changes later on. Such tools include Reverse Viewshed Layout Optimisation, Route Visibility Analysis and Interactive Design Studio.

Macro Works clients are aware of the cost-benefit of our optimisation tools and engage us at the project outset as a matter of course.

Reverse Viewshed and Layout Optimisation

This process utilizes our experience of terrain analysis and viewshed to pre-determine the best locations for tall structures (e.g. wind turbines, pylons, masts) and keep visibility to a minimum. This is regularly requested at the outset to identify areas within the site boundary that will potentially impact upon sensitive locations.

Route Visibility Analysis

Standard viewshed doesn't account for the significant non-landform screening that can occur between a viewer and a proposed development. The level of visibility is therefore often grossly over-stated. Our process of Route Visibility Analysis utilizes in-car custom GIS tools and Video-GPS to measure, categorise and map screening elements along route corridors and offers a cost effective true statement of visual exposure.

On-Site Interactive Design Sessions

Macro Works has both an in-house design room and a portable design rig for layout design sessions at client offices. This comprises 2 large screens for interactive 2D and 3D GIS and enables changes to layout to be viewed from specific locations in realtime. Usually attended by clients, project managers and LVA consultants – this provides the optimal environment for a productive and creative design session.

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Other products and services from Macroworks

In the field, our operatives are fully equipped with pro-level cameras, lenses, tripods & mounts, high precision GPS - as well laptop-based 3D terrain models of all sites to enable realtime analysis and optimal positioning for viewpoint photography.
Our continuous investment in the latest hardware technology enables us to maintain the very highest standards and the fastest turn-arounds for our clients.

With GIS at the core of Macro Works’ day-to-day consultancy, we comfortably meet the challenge of analysing large and varied spatial data sets, distilling out the relevant information and delivering clear and informative mapping that highlights important hidden trends and patterns.

Where there is a requirement for a photomontage of a proposed development from a close viewpoint it can be difficult to encompass the entire façade or site area within the frame of a single photograph.
Panoramic photomontages allow the viewer to see the entire scene as it would be experienced from a given viewpoint and thus provides the context for a more informed assessment to be made.

Changes to the layout and/or design of a development proposal on the basis of visual impact – especially after consultants from other disciplines have begun their work – can be a costly exercise and can significantly delay the process of achieving planning consent.